Victoria La Mala: Storytelling Through Music, Culture, and Empowerment

Victoria La Mala’s Journey From “La Mala” to Global Storyteller

 

When Victoria La Mala steps on stage, she carries with her the weight of two worlds: the rich traditions of Mexican music and the global influences of hip-hop, R&B, and pop. Known as the first Mexican artist signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, she’s a trailblazer in Banda and Tex-Mex, genres historically dominated by men, and a proud storyteller using her voice to bridge cultures and generations.

Victoria, born Victoria Ortiz in Mexico City, is the daughter of actress Lupita Ortiz. Her father was from Culiacán, Sinaloa, and her mother from Tonaya, Jalisco, roots that profoundly shaped her artistic identity. “My father was from Culiacán, Sinaloa, and my mom is from a small town called Tonaya in Jalisco,” she told us during her appearance on our Storytellers segment. “I do have a lot of memories of my mom singing all the time… heart-wrenching rancheras that give you goosebumps. Now I see it—I was influenced since I was a child.”

 

Growing up, she spent summers in Los Angeles, where she fell in love with hip-hop and R&B through her aunts, while also absorbing the sounds of mariachi, banda, cumbia, and pop back in Mexico City. That duality would become the heart of her music. “I feel like all those elements really influenced me, marked who I am,” she said. “My music is music that makes you feel empowered, music that makes you feel like you are that girl or that guy. It definitely shows those two cultures I grew up with.”

Her career began with determination and grit. After high school, she moved to New York City with dreams of mixing R&B with Spanish lyrics. But nostalgia and pride for her roots led her back to Mexican music. Early on, she faced dismissive voices telling her women didn’t belong in Banda or Mexican regional genres. “People would literally tell me, ‘No one wants to see a woman singing Mexican music,’” she recalled. “Someone even said, ‘You should just marry a rich guy and live a good life.’ And I was like, excuse me, no. This is what I want to do.”

 

 

That persistence paid off. After recording “Ahora Soy Mala” in Guadalajara, she caught the attention of radio programmer Pepe Garza, who gave her a shot on television and radio. Listeners began calling in requesting “the song of La Mala.” The nickname stuck, and Victoria Ortiz officially became Victoria La Mala.

 

How Victoria La Mala Balances Motherhood, Music, and Empowerment

 

In 2013 she released her debut album Mala, blending Banda with pop covers and original songs. Since then, she has built a career that balances authenticity with innovation, bringing Mexican music to new audiences while refusing to conform to narrow expectations. She cites Paquita la del Barrio as a major inspiration, but also Whitney Houston and urban artists, a reflection of her bicultural identity. “I’ve never been like 100% super traditional,” she explained. “In the beginning it was hard because everything was more traditional. But I always felt like that was who I was and I had to put that in my music.”

 

 

Her most recent singles, En Tu Trampa, Bliconas, and El Motivo (a collaboration with Lupita Infante, who also sang at her wedding in 2021), show her commitment to storytelling and empowerment through music. Outside of music, she is the founder of La Mala, a fashion brand offering clothing, accessories, and jewelry that reflect her bold aesthetic.

Victoria is also a wife and mother. Married for four years (after seven years of dating) to entrepreneur Eriq Patinio, she is mom to a son named Saint. Becoming a mother reshaped her life and artistry.

 

“Apart from music, I always had the dream of being a mom. I took two years completely off to just be at home with my son and enjoy that,” she shared. “There’s never a real balance. Society tells us you can have it all, but the reality is that nothing is ever perfect. I think it’s about finding grace in yourself, finding what’s a priority in that moment, and trying your best.”

 

 

Now, as her son begins school, Victoria is returning with renewed focus and ambition. She sees her role not just as a singer, but as a representative of her culture on a global stage.

 

“Mexico, my culture, my roots are just who I am,” she said. “That’s why I chose to represent Mexican music and where I come from. And I love the fact that Mexican music is finally at a point where it’s global. That’s something that when I started my career 10, 15 years ago, I was dreaming about. To see this new generation and all these artists opening it up to the world is just amazing.”

 

Victoria La Mala is, above all, a storyteller. She tells the stories of her family, her culture, and her community, carrying on the Latino tradition of music as both memory and message. In her journey from Mexico City to New York and Los Angeles, she has proven that being “mala” is about more than attitude, it’s about strength, resilience, and the courage to tell your own story.